An investigation by the District Attorney General’s Office found no wrongdoing in the case of a 26-year-old man who died while in the custody of Roane County Sheriff’s deputies and EMS workers.
District Attorney General Russell Johnson informed Sheriff Jack Stockton of the findings in a recent letter.
“There does not appear to be any wrongdoing or reason for criminal charges,” Johnson said. “This concludes our involvement with this matter.”

The first time I heard the croaking overhead was near the lake in Kingston.
I could see a string of large, long-necked migrating birds, but these clearly weren’t the Canada geese common in the area. Then a light bulb went off, and I knew just what I was seeing: sandhill cranes.
Since then, I have been fascinated with these big lovelies.
A few days ago, I traveled down to the Hiwassee near Dayton where hundreds of these birds congregate this time of year to feed and rest.

Before the Tennessee General Assembly went back into session this week, Roane County’s delegation shared its plans and thoughts about the upcoming session during the annual Legislative Breakfast at The Roane Alliance on Monday.

Education, economic development, tourism, transportation and infrastructure are issues the Chamber of Commerce would like state Sen. Ken Yager and state Rep. Julia Hurley to focus on.

Public pressure has been ratcheted up on state Rep. Julia Hurley to do something about a redistricting plan that splits Roane County into separate House districts.
“We want our county kept together,” Swan Pond resident Sarah McCoin said.
McCoin said she started a Facebook group titled “Tell Tennessee House Reps: Keep Roane County Together.”
By Monday the group had over 600 members.
McCoin and County Commissioner Randy Ellis, who now is considering a run against Hurley, are administrators of the Facebook group.

A Roane County World War II veteran will be given one of France’s highest honors because of his contribution to the liberation of France from German occupation.
Harold Davis will be bestowed with the Légion d’Honneur in Atlanta Thursday. He is among 17 other veterans receiving the award.
Davis, who fought in the Eighth Air Force, served in England on the crew of a B-24 Liberator bomber against German fighting planes.

Last spring, Randy Ellis said he had no plans to run for the state representative seat held by Julia Hurley.
Ellis, a District 2 Roane County commissioner, has since changed his mind and is now contemplating a run against Hurley in the Republican primary.
“I’m in the decision-making process of whether I’ll run or not,” he said.
Ellis said the reversal stems from responses he’s gotten from people in the last few days.